Cabo Verde has recorded 177 Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the year, with the majority concentrated on the island of Santiago, particularly in the capital Praia, the National Public Health Institute (INSP) said on Wednesday, as cited by Lusa.
The institute noted that recent weeks have seen a rise in case detections across the country. The situation is most pronounced on Santiago island, which accounts for the largest share of infections. In response to the uptick, the INSP urged the population to adopt preventive measures, especially in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces or areas with large gatherings of people.
The INSP also advised individuals presenting respiratory symptoms to avoid close contact with others and to strengthen precautionary behaviour in order to reduce the risk of transmission.
According to data published and updated by the INSP on Wednesday, Praia city accounts for 82 cases, making it the locality with the highest number of recorded infections. It is followed by the municipalities of Santa Catarina with 30 cases, São Domingos with 25, São Lourenço dos Órgãos with 16, São Miguel with 11, and Santa Cruz with three.
Outside Santiago island, São Vicente has recorded eight cases, while the island of Fogo registered one case in the municipality of Mosteiros and São Nicolau registered one case in the municipality of Ribeira Brava.
Despite the recent increase, Cabo Verde now has significantly greater capacity to diagnose and monitor viral diseases than it did prior to the pandemic. In 2025, health specialists told Lusa of the advances recorded in the country, including the installation of high-technology laboratories, the expansion of virology infrastructure, and the deployment of a genomic sequencing unit.
These facilities allow the archipelago to conduct internal diagnosis of viral diseases without the need to send samples to foreign laboratories, strengthening the country's epidemiological response and surveillance capabilities.
The first Covid-19 case in Cabo Verde was confirmed on 19 March 2020, in a British tourist. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has recorded 64,109 cases and 414 deaths, according to data from the Ministry of Health. The INSP continues to recommend that the population remain alert to the onset of respiratory symptoms and adopt preventive measures, particularly in locations where the risk of transmission is higher.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/02/mundo/africa/covid-19-cabo-verde-registou-177-casos-desde-o-inicio-do-ano/
